Players from both teams react to play involving Edwards and Walker.

Purdue freshman forward Vince Edwards went through several dramatic moments into the final seconds of Saturday's 62-58 loss at Minnesota.

First he was driving to the basket for a potential game-tying layup. Then he was tangled with Minnesota forward Maurice Walker in mid-air. Then he had no ball in his hands and was one of several players standing in confusion while the clock ran.

"I just caught the ball, tried to go up as hard as I can to create the contact and get the foul, but it was a no-call and continued out," Edwards said.

"Everybody was shocked, buy you've got to keep playing. If the whistle didn't blow then don't stop. We all just stopped. The whole arena, everybody in this gym was shocked by the no call."

Purdue eventually realized no call had been made and fouled Andre Hollins, who sealed the win with two free throws.

As one might expect, the Golden Gophers had a slightly different perspective.

"I just tried to get there and put my hands straight up," said Walker, who collected 11 points, five rebounds, two blocks and three steals. "Luckily the ref didn't call a foul. I know sometimes they call that. But I feel like he just put the ball right in my hands and once he did that I just grabbed it."

Purdue coach Matt Painter took the high road regarding the no-call. But he noticed a lot of people at Williams Arena weren't sure what to make of the play either.

"Everybody stopped," Painter said, referring to players from both sides who stood and looked for a call that didn't happen. "Normally that's a pretty good tell-tale that something's there. I don't know if they thought it was a jump ball or a foul.

"I thought it was something. Something needed to be called right there. You rarely ever see it where everybody stops, and the crowd just got silent. Nobody knew how to react to it."

Barn bench

The only game Edwards hadn't started prior to Saturday was Purdue's Big Ten opener — also against Minnesota — at Mackey Arena on Dec. 31. He had missed practices due to illness over Christmas break.

Edwards was back on the bench to start Saturday's game, this time because he showed up late to that morning's film sessions. Painter inserted him at the first television timeout and Edwards responded with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists in just 13 minutes.

He was one of many victims of Purdue's haphazard second-half offense, where he went scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting.

"I felt I wasn't being as aggressive as I was in the first half and I've got to do better," Edwards said. "I've got to help my team out more, even if it's not scoring. It's the little things as far as rebounding, taking care of the ball."

Basil Smotherman started in Edwards' place. It was his first start of the season and first since last February 5, also against Minnesota.

Ups and downs

Purdue came into Saturday's game with a Big Ten-low 28 percent 3-point performance in league games.

Much of that futility came in first halves. The Boilermakers had made only 10 of 68 (a paltry 14.7 percent) from behind the arc before halftime. Oddly they were making 39 percent in second halves.

But when Purdue made 4 of 10 in the first half against Minnesota, it appeared the team's 3-point stroke had settled in. Then the Boilermakers missed their first six and seven of their first nine from long distance to start the second half.

Then came the final surge, when Octeus (3-for-3) and Stephens (2-for-3) hit enough 3s to nearly really Purdue to victory.

Etc.

Over the past five games, A.J. Hammons is shooting 24 of 30 from the field (80 percent) while averaging 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.4 blocks. ... Purdue is 1-3 in its last four trips to Williams Arena, with the losses coming by a combined 10 points. ... Former Purdue star and current Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robbie Hummel sat behind the Boilermaker bench.